The franchise industry, like all businesses, was not immune to the economic crisis of 2008 and the ensuing credit crunch. But the vital signs of a recovery are there. According to the International Franchise Association (IFA), many of the country’s business sectors currently starting to show growth mirror those sectors expected to be the leading drivers of employment in franchising this year. These include food service, health care, hospitality and construction—all sectors with a high concentration of franchise businesses.
A lender is primarily concerned about the ability of the borrower to repay the loan. To the extent that a security interest can be given to the lender on company assets (company equipment, property, accounts receivable, etc.), the borrower should be able to increase its chances of getting a loan on favorable terms. Some lenders may insist upon the personal guarantee of the principal owner of the business. That is best avoided if possible as it puts the owner’s personal assets, and not just the business assets, at risk.
Your answer will be something like the famous “elevator pitch”, or maybe a mission statement. It doesn’t matter whether it’s perfectly polished yet, but it is important that your answer is clear and easy to understand. If you were talking to your neighbours at a barbecue and they asked you what you do, would your answer make their eyes light up or glaze over? Would it make them ask for more details, or hurriedly excuse themselves to grab another burger?
Various financial aid programs help certain types of businesses and borrower start up franchises. For instance, some companies have programs designed to attract women and minority candidates. Many others offer discounts on franchise fees for veterans who are interested in franchising. You can find a list of options in the International Franchise Association’s VetFran Directory.
Part of the reason we spent a full day researching and figuring out location has to do with what it will cost you to start. If you’re working from home and not seeing clients, you may find your startup costs are limited to marketing, stationery, any supplies, and legal. If not, you’re going to need enough to set aside for at least the first months rent and utilities of the new space, including all the amenities to outfit your new office.
Most franchisees will have to get a business loan at some point. Fortunately, compared to independent small business owners, franchisees have traditionally had an easier time securing financing from banks — including loans backed by the SBA (Small Business Administration). But bank loans and SBA loans are still not easy to get even for franchise businesses, and the application and approval process can be prohibitively long for a lot of franchisees in need of quick capital. Some franchisors offer their own financing programs, but the practice is far from widespread, so you can’t necessarily depend on funding from your franchise brand.
2. You can do it because there is a business appropriate for just about everyone’s interests, experience, passions or expertise. “Starting a business” really only comes down to figuring out your business idea, doing your paperwork, and sorting out the money. Given the number of funding resources available today, you shouldn’t have too much of a problem getting that initial startup cash, especially if you focus on a lean business model or MVP route to market.
Market research is important because it will help you figure out whether or not there is demand for the service you’re offering or the product you’re selling. It will also help you when it comes time to write your business plan, especially if you’re pitching an angel investor or a venture capital firm. They will want to see there’s a market for your idea, otherwise, it won’t scale as rapidly as they need it to in order to make a return on their investment.
“My credit is very strong and I owned my house outright. So when I realized the SBA loan would take too long, I decided to go to my personal bank and apply for a HELOC. The whole process took less than two weeks, the interest rates were great, and I never looked back. I was even allowed to use the HELOC for my franchise fee, which other financing wouldn’t allow.”
One type of financing you'll want to think twice about is a home equity loan. While you'll be personally responsible for repaying any loan your business takes out if you are a sole proprietor or a co-signer, a home equity loan carries a level of risk that unsecured debt doesn't. Your credit could be hurt if your business doesn't repay money you borrowed, but your house isn't at risk in most circumstances unless you've taken a home equity loan.
A number of costs go into the launching a franchise. Initial costs include paying for professional advisers such as a lawyer to look over contracts and an accountant to advise or manage your finances. You’ll also need to invest money up-front for anything your business will need: real estate or lease payments, inventory, equipment, supplies insurance, licenses, recruitment, employee preparation, and signage. A grand opening event and initial marketing expenses will also add to your startup costs. You’ll also want to account for ongoing expenses such as professional services, supplies, employee pay and benefits, rent or property taxes, utilities and maintenance.
Whether you're starting an online business or a brick-and-mortar model, figuring out how to start a business takes time and research. Starting a business involves planning, making important financial decisions and completing a series of legal activities, such as choosing a business structure. Before you can decide how you want to structure your business, you need to know what your options are. Each business structure has advantages and disadvantages, and choosing the right one depends on your unique situation. The most common ways to organize a business include, limited liability company (LLC), corporation, nonprofit corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, and sole proprietorship. LLCs are a popular choice for small business owners because they offer personal liability protection with great tax and management flexibility, while incorporating a business protects your personal assets and is preferred by outside investors. LegalZoom has all the resources you need to start a business and maintain it. Whether you want to form an LLC or trademark a business name, LegalZoom offers services to help you get it done fast and affordably. LegalZoom can also help you obtain the necessary business licenses and permits for your new business. Get the peace of mind you need when starting a business by letting LegalZoom take care of the details while you focus on the parts of your business that matter to you the most.
He is also a nationally recognized employee training expert, and was one of the first people to receive the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance certification from the Association for Talent Development. In 2015, Jeff was awarded the CPLP Contributor Award by ATD for his numerous contributions to the program. He is a past president of ATD's San Diego chapter, where he was a recipient of the WillaMae M. Heitman Award for distinguished service.
The targeted advertising resulting from this information sharing is related to common product and service categories, such as travel and leisure, automotive, retail, financial services, electronics, pharmaceutical and consumer products, publication subscriptions and similar categories that you see advertised routinely. These advertisements are not based on data relating to adult content, individual or aggregate health information or records, precise geographic location, information derived from your individual credit report (with the exception of Credit Based Offers that you authorize us to present to you as specified in the applicable Terms and Conditions agreed to on certain CIC websites), or information relating to your financial accounts. We use cookies to facilitate the sharing of this information while you are online. Information in these cookies is updated from time to time to ensure that it is up to date and relevant. In order to appropriately safeguard the information in them, as described above, these cookies are encrypted. At this time we do not respond to “do not track” browser signals.